John Lennon's ex-wife, Cynthia Lennon, dead at 75

Cynthia Lennon during Cynthia Lennon Signs Her Book John at Barnes & Noble in New York City - October 4, 2005 at Barnes & Noble Union Square in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Lawrence Lucier/FilmMagic)

LAS VEGAS - JUNE 30: Musician Julian Lennon (L), son of Beatle John Lennon, poses with his mother Cynthia after attending the gala premiere of 'The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil' at The Mirage Hotel & Casino June 30, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show is a joint artistic venture between The Beatles' company, Apple Corps Ltd., and Cirque du Soleil. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Timothy White and Cynthia Lennon and Julian Lennon attends the 'Timeless' photography exhibition opening party at the Morrison Hotel Gallery on September 16, 2010 in New York City.

Julian Lennon, (L), son of former Beatle John Lennon, stands next to his mother Cynthia as they unveil an European peace monument dedicated to the memory of John Lennon in Liverpool, north-west England on October 9, 2010. The unveiling of the eighteen foot (5.5 meters) peace monument entitled ''Peace and Harmony'' celebrates what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday. AFP PHOTO/ANDREW YATES (Photo credit should read ANDREW YATES/AFP/Getty Images)

Cynthia Lennon during Cynthia Lennon Signs Her Book John at Barnes & Noble in New York City - October 4, 2005 at Barnes & Noble Union Square in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Lawrence Lucier/FilmMagic)

LONDON - SEPTEMBER 27: (EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION IN UK TABLOID NEWSPAPERS UNTIL 48 HOURS AFTER CREATE DATE AND TIME) Cynthia Lennon attends the book launch party celebrating the launch of 'John', a biography of John Lennon by Cynthia Lennon, his first-wife, at Fitzroy Square on September 27, 2005 in London, England. (Photo by Dave M. Benett/Getty Images)

LONDON - SEPTEMBER 26: Cynthia Lennon, first-wife of John Lennon, signs copies of 'John', her biography of the life of her ex-husband, at Foyles on September 26, 2005 in London, England. (Photo by David Westing/Getty Images)

Cynthia Lennon during 'Come Together' A Tribute to John Lennon - December 11, 1989 at Registry Hotel in Universal City, California, United States. (Photo by Jim Smeal/WireImage)

NEW YORK CITY - NOVEMBER 23: May Pang and Cynthia Lennon attend the book party for Mike McCartney 'The Macs' on November 23, 1981 at Horn of Plenty Restaurant in New York City. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 01: May Pang, Cynthia Lennon, Mike McCartney, and Sid Bernstein (Photo by The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 01: May Pang, Mike McCartney, and Cynthia Lennon (Photo by The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

UNITED STATES - NOVEMBER 01: Cynthia Lennon (Photo by The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images)

UNSPECIFIED - : John LENNON and his first wife, Cynthia, April 23rd 1964. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

23rd April 1964: Singer-songwriter John Lennon (1940 - 1980) of The Beatles, with his wife Cynthia at the Dorchester Hotel, London, for a Foyles Luncheon after the publication of his first book, 'In His Own Write'. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

The Beatles' womenfolk, from left to right, Maureen Starr, Cynthia Lennon and Patti Boyd, in Obertauern, Austria, on March 16, 1965. (Photo by Daily Express/Archive Photos/Getty Images)

Pop group The Beatles George Harrison and John Lennon with their wives Cynthia Lennon and Patti Harrison at London airport, England, prior to departing for a visit with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India, on February 16, 1968. (Photo by Daily Express/Archive Photos/Getty Images)

31st July 1970: Cynthia Lennon with her 8 year old son Julian and her husband Roberto Bassanini, 28 year old son of an Italian hotelier. The newly-wed couple are outside Kensington Register Office in London. (Photo by Roger Jackson/Central Press/Getty Images)

UNITED KINGDOM - November 8th 1968: Photo of Cynthia LENNON (Photo by John Rodgers/Redferns)

8th November 1968: Cynthia Lennon, wife of John Lennon of The Beatles, outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, where she is starting divorce proceedings against her husband. (Photo by Central Press/Getty Images)

Former wife of musician John Lennon, Cynthia Lennon, and Italian hotelier Roberto Bassanini dining together in a restaurant, 1969. (Photo by Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 15: John Lennon (1940-1980) formed the Beatles in 1960 with Paul McCartney (1942-), George Harrison (1943-2001) and Ringo Starr (1940-). Before being signed to Parlophone in 1962 The Beatles were found playing in the Cavern Club in Liverpool and venues in Hamburg, Germany. They went on to become the most successful pop group of all time and finally split in 1970. Lennon married his first wife Cynthia Powell (1939-) in 1962 and they had one child together, Julian (1963-). Following his divorce from Cynthia in 1968 John Lennon married the Japanese avant-garde artist Yoko Ono in March 1969. The Beatles finally split in 1970. Lennon was murdered in New York on 8 December 1980 by Mark Chapman. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)

UNITED KINGDOM : Caption reads: 'How to stop the traffic - John and Cynthia Lennon last night'. John Lennon (1940-1980) formed the Beatles in 1960 with Paul McCartney (1942-), George Harrison (1943-2001) and Ringo Starr (1940-) in Liverpool, England. They went on to become the most successful pop group of all time and finally split in 1970. Lennon married his first wife Cynthia Powell (1939-) in 1962 and they had one child together, Julian (1963-). Following his divorce from Cynthia in 1968 John Lennon married the Japanese avant-garde artist Yoko Ono in March 1969. Lennon was murdered on 8 December 1980 in New York by Mark Chapman. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)

Religious leader Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (1918 - 2008, left) presents Beatle George Harrison (1943 - 2001) with an upside-down globe of the world at a party to celebrate the musician's 25th birthday at Rishikesh, India, 25th February 1968. The Marahishi presented the globe with the words 'George, the globe I am giving you symbolizes the world today. I hope you will help us all in the task of putting it right'. To the left of Harrison are his wife, Pattie Boyd, Cynthia Lennon and John Lennon (1940 - 1980). The Beatles are in Rishikesh to study transcendental meditation at the Maharishi 's academy. (Photo by Paul Popper/Popperfoto/Getty Images)

The Beatles 1964 US Tour, John Lennon of British pop group The Beatles with his wife Cynthia in Miami during the band's tour of America, February 13, 1964. (Photo by Popperfoto/Getty Images)

UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 15: John Lennon (1940-1980) and his first wife Cynthia Powell (1939-) on their way to the Cannes Film Festival. Lennon formed the Beatles in 1960 with Paul McCartney (1942-), George Harrison (1943-2001) and Ringo Starr (1940-). Before being signed to Parlophone in 1962 The Beatles were found playing in the Cavern Club in Liverpool and venues in Hamburg, Germany. They went on to become the most successful pop group of all time and finally split in 1970. John and Cynthia had one child together, Julian (1963-). Following his divorce from Cynthia in 1968 Lennon married the Japanese avant-garde artist Yoko Ono in March 1969. The Beatles finally split in 1970. Lennon was murdered in New York on 8 December 1980 by Mark Chapman. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)

Patti Boyd (left) and Cynthia Lennon (right) in Austria on the location set of the Beatles film 'Help!', 17th March 1965. They are, respectively, the partners of George and John. (Photo by Les Lee/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

23rd April 1964: Singer-songwriter John Lennon (1940 - 1980) of The Beatles, with his wife Cynthia at the Dorchester Hotel, London, for a Foyles Luncheon after the publication of his first book, 'In His Own Write'. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

2nd July 1964: Beatle John Lennon and his wife Cynthia leaving London Airport in a car, having returned from the Beatles' Australian tour. (Photo by Jim Gray/Keystone/Getty Images)

20th May 1965: Beatle John Lennon and his wife Cynthia boarding an aeroplane at London Airport. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 31: John Lennon And His Wife Cynthia Skiing At Saint Moritz In Switzerland On January 31St 1965 (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 07: Photo of John LENNON and Cynthia LENNON; while in The Beatles, posed with his wife Cynthia (wearing plastic mac) at Heathrow Airport (Photo by Cummings Archives/Redferns)

7th February 1964: Singer and songwriter John Lennon (1940 - 1980), of British pop group The Beatles, and his wife Cynthia wait for a flight to New York at London Airport. John is wearing the 15 guinea Mary Quant hat that sparked a recent trend. (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)

NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 7: Rock and roll band 'The Beatles' visits The Peppermint Lounge on their first night in the United States on February 7, 1964 in New York City, New York. (L-R) George Harrison (pointing), John Lennon (in sunglasses), Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr (below Paul), Cynthia Lennon (foreground, between John and Ringo) (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

UNITED KINGDOM - October 1962: John Lennon (1940-1980) with Cynthia Lennon at the Cavern Club. Before being signed to Parlophone in 1962 The Beatles were found playing in the Cavern Club in Liverpool and venues in Hamburg, Germany. They went on to become the most successful pop group of all time and finally split in 1970. In 1965 Lennon, along with the other Beatles, was awarded the MBE although Lennon later returned his as a protest about British involvement in the Vietnam War. Lennon was murdered on 8 December 1980 in New York by Mark Chapman. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)

John Lennon and his wife Cynthia in a 1966 photo. There were reports growing in London that the marriage of John Lennon of Beatles and his wife, Cynthia, is on the rocks as their lawyers met in London June 24, 1968. After prolonged discussions, the attorney said, "At the present time there is no statement which can be made." (AP Photo)

John Lennon, one of the Beatles, and his wife, Cynthia, are shown in a night spot after the visiting British Rock 'N' Rollers made their New York debut Sunday, February 11, 1964. Paul McCartney is behind Lennon. (AP Photo)

Beatle John Lennon and his wife, Cynthia, at London Airport, in England, on July 2, 1964, when the group arrived from their three-week tour of Australia and New Zealand. At a press conference after his arrival, Lennon denied a rumour that he was leaving the group. (AP Photo)

Beatle John Lennon and his wife, Cynthia, arrive late for a news conference at Twickenham Studios, Middlesex, England, on June 12, 1965. The Beatles have been created members of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's birthday honors list. Behind the couple at center is the band's manager Brian Epstein. (AP Photo)

Maureen Starr, wife of Beatle drummer Ringo Starr, left, and Cynthia Lennon, wife of John Lennon, at London airport in England on March 13, 1965, prior to flying out with husbands and other members of the Beatle group to Salzburg, Austria, where the group are to continue work on their second film. (AP Photo/Victor Boyton)

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Sad news: Cynthia Lennon, the late John Lennon's wife from 1962-1968, has died at age 75 from cancer. According to a rep, her sole child with the former Beatle -- Julian Lennon -- was with her at the time of her death.

Here's the statement:

"Cynthia Lennon passed away today at her home in Mallorca, Spain following a short but brave battle with cancer. Her son Julian Lennon was at her bedside throughout. The family are thankful for your prayers. Please respect their privacy at this difficult time."

Cynthia met John when she was 18 and he was on the cusp of fame with the Beatles. They married in 1962 after she became pregnant with their only child, Julian Lennon, who was born in 1963. Their marriage was notoriously rocky, with Cynthia claiming her former husband struck her on one occasion.

"He was a very jealous young man at the time, and he had a lot of pain inside," she said in later years. "He wanted to trust me and he thought by seeing me dancing with a friend of his that I was being disloyal or messing around. So he smacked me, but that was the only time."

John divorced Cynthia in 1968 and married Yoko Ono in 1969, who he remained with until he was shot and killed in 1980. Cynthia wrote two books about their life together: A Twist of Lennon in 1980 and John in 2005.

Following her death, Julian Lennon posted the following musical tribute to his late mother.